Friday, January 29, 2016

Days Go By

I've been thinking a lot about time as of late.  I think a lot of mothers do.  Your kids, literally grow up right before your eyes.  All of a sudden you realize how big they've gotten, even though you've been with them pretty much every waking moment of their lives.

I think, I think about it around this time of year, every year.  The winter doldrums.  The gloomy days, one seeping in to the next.

Emma's learning something new every single day, and I'm very aware, that at one point it was Sally learning that something new and then it was Libby learning that something new too.  Now #1 gets on a bus to go to school every day.  She's signing up for things like Junior Great Books and I'm driving her to Thursday night basketball practice.  In no time, #2 will be joining #1 on the bus and #3 will be going to dance class, or something of the sort.

They're getting older and time is passing by.  I'm more aware of how quickly the time is going since we're in 3 very different stages with each of the girls, but I remember #1 being in each of the stages like it was yesterday.

Time, it's not a terrible thing, just something to cherish and cherish we do.

I love my days, the hard, the boring, the eventful, the silly, the lazy, the busy, the wonderful days, I do really love them.  Each one the same, yet very different.

K, that's all for now.  Here are some ordinary pictures, that someday I'll look back on and smile fondly and remember the simple ordinary moments I got to share with my girls every single day.

Creative sisters, always using their imaginations for something.  Their Boart, a boat and a fort


Crafting...stay tuned for the final product, just happy the spray paint took to the frame

 A new favorite activity while we watch out the window for Sally's bus

 Thursday night basketball practice, #20 is our girl
 Little Miss in to anything and everything and leave a trail behind her

 Kids and tampons, I swear there is some sort of magnetic force they can find each other no matter what
 Uncle Joey is playing in the big pond hockey tournament this weekend.  We met up with Auntie Jenny and Katherine and Bobby to cheer him on.  They won their first two games! Thankful for the warmer temperatures!
 Uncle Joey's Fan Club!

Happy Weekend! Happy last few days of January! Have you noticed it's getting darker a little bit later...glass half full!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

A Little Bit of This & A Little Bit of That

I'm not so good at this blogging thing anymore...

Here's what we've been up to as of late:

Photo booth pictures from Libby's Pre-School Night

Libby had her 4 year well visit and Emma had her 15 month.  We continue to be blessed with Healthy Girls!

Libby's Stats
Height: 40.25 inches- 58%
Weight: 37 lbs- 64%

Emma's Stats
Height: 29.5 inches- 22%
Weight: 21 lbs- 21%
Head: 46.9cm- 78%

They're both consistent with their percentiles and Emma is our littlest one yet, and also our busiest

They were excited we were in the "eagle picture" room

Libby's ABC's, not sure what's up with her S, she doesn't usually write it like that :)

I finally convinced myself to give Sally some new letters for her room and I completed them...

Emma is loved:

[VIDEO]

We had a fun Double Date with Kari and Andy last weekend.  It's been long overdue, we had to cancel our last one because peeps were sick.

We went to dinner and then drinks and then bowling and then dessert, it was great fun!



Friends that bowl together, stay together

Sisterfriends
 Husband and wifey :)
 If only Reid would open his eyes :) He was wiped out from bowling the best game of his life...

Sally had her first scrimmage Saturday morning, she did pretty well! Fun to see her start getting the hang of things, and understanding Offense and Defense :)
 Joey's going on a Ski Trip to Colorado in a few weeks.  He asked his sisters if they would go skiing with him, so he could get in some practice before his trip.  Jenny had too busy of day, next time!  We had fun at Afton Alps!

I think the last time I skied was in Deer Valley in 2003...kind of like riding a bike.  :)


 Daddy took the Bigs skating Sunday after Mass.

Snapchat sillies :)
 Have I posted this before?  Her new favorite, to throw things down the stairs and then pretend she's going to get them

These 2 have quite the connection

[VIDEO]



3 sisters, playing nicely together.  Daddy was cheering for his cousin Dave, as he coached the Memphis Grizzlies
 It's a big deal when Daddy---Bob/Jim??? Nicknames the bigs have given Reid, I guess

[VIDEO]

Big Hugs for BP!

Happy Last week in January, sheeesh, where did that month go?

Monday, January 18, 2016

Carnival Fun

Libby's Preschool had a fun Carnival Event Thursday night.  We all had a really great time!

Mommy even got to bring home Cotton Candy ;)

Ring Toss {Sidenote, these volunteer students were some of the kindest kids I have ever met, so very impressed!}


The cutest little carnival goer

 Daddy was in charge of the Bigs and getting their face painted, while I followed Emma around.  "Make sure Sally doesn't get anything crazy, we have to go to basketball in a few minutes"....


Reid was helping get Libby situated when Sally told the lady she wanted a bunny on her cheek...we about fell over when she turned around.  One for the memory books :)
 The Bunny and LJ got a unicorn on her hand
 Getting their balloons! Libby got a flower and Sally got a little bunny
 Libby has dance on Friday.  The instructor likes to have just the students in the studio, which left the parents to sit on the floor in the hallway.  It wasn't THAT terrible, but once Emma started walking it got harder and harder to keep her contained.  We were happy to hear they got a camera in the classroom so that we could watch it in the front Lobby on the TV.  Many comfy chairs and much easier space to keep Emma contained.  We just may sign up for Spring session too :)
 We had a little Tea Party Friday afternoon before Sally got home from school.  Emma was excited to be included, even if she was granted an "old" cup in case she were to have thrown it on the floor.
 Watching her Big Sister.  Love her little hands!
 So excited to be included!
[VIDEO] Watch out for that left hand

Happy MLK Day!

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Marshmallow Test

I finally remembered to do the Marshmallow test with Libby.

Does it still count if I used Skittles?

Does it still count if her sister is sitting next to her?

At any rate, she PASSED, yay :)

It wasn't quite as entertaining as when I gave Sally the test, but if you care to take a look, her she is :)


Hope you're staying warm! It was a "feels like" -36 this morning when we woke up.  At least the sun was shining all day!

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Freezer Meals!

I recently participated in my first Freezer Meal exchange.  This month consisted of 6 other woman.  We each made 6 of the same freezer meal.  Met on a specific date and time.  Swapped meals and came home with 6 new meals.  Simple as that.

I chose to make Chicken Pot Pie and thought I'd share the recipe here.  I got it from Kari many years back, I think we were still teaching.

If you hate cutting up chicken as much as I do, a nice trick I learned is to buy a bag of boneless skinless chicken tenders.  Dump the entire bag in the crock pot.  Once the chicken is cooked it's easy to cut into pieces.  I usually divide the chicken into 3 servings and either store in the fridge for recipes or the freezer and pull out when needed.


The Pot Pie Prep

 We had a fun play date yesterday.  Michelle and her new baby Lauren came over to visit! So fun to see her become a Mama! Thankful for good little ladies so the Mamas could get in lots of good conversation.  Congratulations Michelle, she's beautiful and perfect and as sweet as can be! Thanks for coming over!
 Libby's proud of the extra high fives she gets at school for being the first one ready with her outside gear on, all on her own!  I knew her independent stubbornness would pay off ;) I had a sad realization that I only have a year and a half left with her before she's off to Kindergarten.  Why does it have to go so quickly? :( Soaking it all up each and every day, even the stubbornness
 3rd Child is a bit of a wildcard as of late.  Sally is exactly like Reid and Libby is exactly like me.  Emma, we haven't quite pinpointed yet and that's ok, because we don't like labels anyway.  She is such a jokster lately.  She thinks she so funny.  This was a one nap day.  Unfortunately on the way home from preschool she fell asleep for maybe 5 minutes, which you know any amount of napping minutes not meant for a nap before a nap will RUIN a nap.  Did you catch that?  So, here she was pretending her crib was a horse?  [We haven't had a crib crawler outter, but she just might be the one to break that streak]
 Eventually she caved...

The other day she realized she didn't need her walker anymore.  She would shove it with her hand and belly laugh thinking she was sooooo funny.  I tried to grab my camera to record it, but then she decided to carry the walker over to me.  We're officially done with that baby toy...

Reid has had 3 late work nights in a row due to dinners with vendors.  I can't complain because he doesn't have to travel much and he doesn't have school anymore.

I love how I can rely on LJ being a rule follower.  I asked her to read or play in her room quietly so I could put her sisters down to bed.  Always melts my heart when they actually do what they're told :)


Heatwave today, we made it up to 30!! Happy hump Day!

Monday, January 11, 2016

January Headers

January 2010


January 2012 [Missed 2011 because Libby had just been born...slacker]


January 2013
 January 2014

 January 2015

Still can't believe it's already 2016!!